Support bracket

ABSTRACT

A circular rod includes an upstanding finger which extends through the loop of an electrical cord or hydraulic hose after the loop has been extended through the opening in the circular member. When a hydraulic hose is being supported, a lip is provided on the upstanding finger and extends over the bight portion of the hose and the hydraulic hose is supported above the tongue of a farm implement. The bracket may also be mounted on a farrowing crate to suspend a heating unit over pig areas. An elongated rod bent upon itself and having a U-shaped clamp at the opposite end may engage a horizontally disposed member of the farrowing crate while the bight of the rod engages a horizontally spaced apart second rod of the farrowing crate. Alternatively, a straight elongated rod may have a u-shaped clamp at its end opposite the circular portion for and engaging a structural member of a farrowing crate. The U-shape clamp may extend either parallel or perpendicular to the elongated rod and may have a pin with ring or safety pin as a fastener to close the open end of the clamp. A further embodiment of a support for a heating unit includes an elongated rod having a U-shape clamp at its inner end for engaging a horizontal rod of a pig crate and an inverted Vshape leg structure engages a rod intermediate its ends with the lower ends of the legs of the leg structure engaging a second horizontally disposed crate member and a portion of the elongated rod extends away from the crate and includes spaced apart portions for supporting heating units over side-by-side separated pig areas.

United States Patent 1 1 Naigp.

[111 3,824,959 [4 1 July 23, 1974 1 1v SUPPORT BRACKET [76] Inventor: Charley B. Naig, Cylinder, Iowa 50528 22 Filed: se tys, 1 972 [21] Appl. No.: 286,190

[52] Cl 119/20, 248/226 R, 248/302, 248/309, 248/316 D [51] Int. Cl A0lk 1/00 [58] Field of Search 119/20, 34; 248/102, 103, 248/104, 226 R, 302, 316 D, 309

Becker et al 248/316 D X Primary Examiner-Antonio F. Guida Assistant Examiner-J. N. Eskovitz Attorney, Agent, orFirm-Zarley, McKee & Thomte 57 ABSTRACT A circular rod includes an upstanding finger which extends through the loop of an electrical cord or hydraulic hose after the loop has been extended through the opening in the circular member When a hydraulic hose is being supported, a lip is provided on the upstanding finger and extends over the bight portion of the hose and the hydraulic hose is supported above the tongue of a farm implement. The bracket may also be mounted on a farrowing crate to suspend a heating unit over pig areas. An elongated rod bent upon itself and having a U-shaped clamp at the opposite end may engage a horizontally disposed member of the farrowing crate while the bight of the rod engages a horizontally spaced apart second rod of the farrowing crate. Alternatively, a straight elongated rod may have a ushaped clamp at its end opposite the circular portion for and engaging a structural member of a farrowing crate. The U-shape clamp may extend either parallel or perpendicular to the elongated rod and may have a 1' pin with ring or safety pin as a fastener to close the open end of the clamp. A further embodiment of a a second horizontally disposed crate member and a portion of the elongated rod extends away from the crate and includes spaced apart portions for support- 1 ing heating units over side-by-side separated pig areas.

5 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures 1 SUPPORT BRACKET A litter of baby pigs is protected from accidental injury from the mother by restraining the mother in a farrowing pen and allowing the pigs to move about in an enclosed area directly adjacent the pen. The pigs can move freely back and forth while the mother sow is restrained in the farrowing pen. During the winter months, the pig area requires additional heat if the entirebuilding is not completely heated.

The support bracket of this invention is readily adaptable to all farrowing pens for supporting a heating unit such 'as a lamp over a pig area adjacent a farrowing pen. The heating unit may be readily attached and removed and moved about on the farrowing pen.

The unique structure of the bracket that accommodates the flexible electrical cordalso will function very .effectively for supporting a hydraulic hose on a farm implement particularly when the hoses are disconnected from the tractor thereby preventing the free ends from becoming contaminated by dirt from the ground. j

Where two pig areas are placed side by side between a pair of farrowing pens, an alternate embodiment of the support bracket is utilized involving an elongated rod member connected at its inner end to the farrowing pen with an inverted V-shaped leg structure engaging the farrowing pen in spaced relationship. A pair of spaced apart hooks are provided on the elongated member for supporting heating units over the adjacent pig areas.

This invention consists in the construction, arrangements and combination of the various parts of the device, wherebythe objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a farrowing pen having a support bracket of this invention mountedthereon supporting a heat lamp over a pig area,

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the support bracket;

FIG. 3is an elevational view taken alongline 3 3 inFIG.2; Y

FIG. 4 is atop plan view thereof;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective and fragmentary view of an alternate embodiment;

FIG. 6 is an end view taken from the left side in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of an alternate fastening element;

FIG. 8 is a side elevation view of a still further alternate support bracket embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the support bracket on a farm implement for supporting hydraulic hoses;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged front elevational view thereof;

FIG. 14 is a side elevation view of an alternate embodiment of the bracket of FIGS. 11 13.

The support bracket of this invention is referred to generally in FIG. 2 by reference numeral 10 and is seen mounted on a farrowing pen 12 in FIG. 1. The farrowing pen includes a pair of side rails 14 and a pair of top rails 16. A pig area 18 is provided adjacent the pen 12 for pigs 20 and the mother sow 22 is maintained in the farrowing pen 12. A heating lamp 24 is supported by the bracket 10 over the pigs in the pig area 18.

The support bracket 10, as seen in FIG. 2, is formed from an elongated piece of rod material bent upon itself to provide a pair of leg portions 26 and 28 joined together by a bight portion 30. The leg portion 28 includes a U-shaped clamp 32 mounted on the rail 14 of the farrowing pin 12 and held thereon by a fastener 34 including a pin 36 and a ring 38 which locks the pin onto the legs of the clamp 32 as seen in FIG. 5. The bight portion 30 engages the upper rail 16 while the leg 26 extends outwardly over the pig area 18 and includes on its outer end a substantially circular portion 40 which terminates in an upstanding finger 42. It is seen that the circular portion 40 extends in a vertical plane positioned at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the leg 26 in FIG. 2.

The lamp 24 includes an electrical wire 44 formed into a loop which is positioned through the opening 46 formed by the circular portion 40. The loop 48 is then positioned over and around the upstanding pin 42 thereby locking the lamp 24 at a desired height above the pig area 18 as seen in FIG. 1. Adjustment of the height can be readily accomplished by manipulating the electrical cord 44. It is further seen in FIG. 3 that the upstanding finger 42 is offset tothe side from the vertical plane of the legs 26 and 28.

In FIGS. 5 and 6 an alternate embodiment of the bracket of FIGS. 1 4 is shown and includes the substantially circular portion 40 for supporting the lamp 24 but involves a substantially straight rod member 50 In FIG. 8 a further embodiment is shown which also includes a substantially circular portion 40 on a straight rod member 60 which terminates in an outwardly extending U-shaped clamp 62 having straight leg portions 64 and a straight bight portion 66 engaging the top edge of a board structure 68. Again, the lamp is supported in a cantilever fashion by the farrowing pen structure.

An optional fastening pin 70 is seen in FIG. 7 which involves a length of wire being bent in a circular fashion with one end 72 being straight and the other end having a hook 74 thereon which may be flexed into and out of engagement with the straight end 72. v

In FIGS. 9 and 10 the substantially circular portion 76 is mounted on a support arm 78 in turn connected to an upstanding post 80 on a farm implement 82 adapted to be connected to a tractor not shown. A plate 84 is secured to the upstanding post 80 by a pair of bolts 86 and the arm 78 includes a forwardly extend- 3 ing portion 88 which terminates in a horizontal right angle portion 90 which continues on into the circular portion 76. The upstanding finger 92 terminates at its upper end in a horizontal forwardly extending lip portion 94. The hydraulic hose 96 is formed into a loop 98 and positioned through the opening 100 and then up and overthe upstanding finger 92 such that the top side of the bight portion 98 rides against the lower side 102 of the lip'94 and thus the hydraulic hose is held off the ground and on the support bracket being prevented from slipping therefrom by the lip 94 on the upstanding finger 92.

FIGS. 11 13 a support bracket 104 is seen which includes an elongated rod member 106 having a U- shaped clamp 108 on its inner end engaging a farrowing pen member 110. Spaced outwardly from the bracket l08 is adownwardly extending apertured ear 112 in which the apex 113 of an inverted V-shaped leg structure 114 is positioned. The pair of legs 118 each include a downwardly extending U-shaped clamp 120 which isfitte d over a rail 122 on the farrowing pen. The portion of the rod 106 extending'outwardly of the farrowing pen includes a pair of spaced apart hook type depressions 126 and 128 for engagement with support chains or electrical cords 130 for positioning heating units 24 over pig areas 132 and 134 between farrowing pens l2 and 14. The pig areas are separated by a wall structure 136. For storage, the leg structure 114 may readily be folded back in either direction onto the rod member 106. I

An alternate embodiment of the bracket of FIGS. 11 13 is shown in FIG. 14 and differs only in that the outer end portion124 includes the circular portion 40A for holding an electrical cord as described in connection with the bracket of FIGS. 1 8.

Thus it is seen that a support bracket for farrowing pens has been provided that is easily attached to differing types of farrowing pens and may be readily moved as needed. Each of the embodiments provides for a positive locking onto the farrowing pens and ample support for the heating units is provided. The circular portion at the outer ends of the brackets is uniquely shaped to allow for the electrical cord to be held posiunit is hung from each of said hooks is positionedfor I tively in place while the cord may be readily adjusted to give the desired length. It has been further shown that the unique outer end of the bracket functions very effectively for holding hydraulic hoses or other flexible members. The lip on the upstanding finger prevents the more rigid hose type member from riding up and over the top of the upstanding finger. When multiple heating units are to be supported by a single support bracket, the bracket of FIGS. 11 13 is employed which again is readily attached, moved and removed from the far rowing pen. This bracket also is readily collapsed for storage bypivoting the leg structure about an axis through the apex 113.

I claim:

1. A heating unit support bracket comprising:

an elongated rod having a clamp at one end for engaging a support,

an inverted V-shaped leg structure on said elongated rod intermediate its ends,

a clamp on the lower end of each leg of said leg structure for engaging a support, and

a hook portion onthe outer end of said rod for engaging an electrical cord to support a heating unit.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said elongated rod includes a second hook portion spaced from said first hook portion.

3. The structure of claim 2 whereii 1 and a heating hanging over a pig area in a farrowing crate.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein a downwardly extending apertured ear is provided on said elongated rod and said inverted V-shaped leg structure is pivotally .connected to said elongated rod by the apex of said inverted V-shaped leg structure being pivotally received in said apertured ear.

said circular portion. 

1. A heating unit support bracket comprising: an elongated rod having a clamp at one end for engaging a support, an inverted V-shaped leg structure on said elongated rod intermediate its ends, a clamp on the lower end of each leg of said leg structure for engaging a support, and a hook portion on the outer end of said rod for engaging an electrical cord to support a heating unit.
 2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said elongated rod Includes a second hook portion spaced from said first hook portion.
 3. The structure of claim 2 wherein, and a heating unit is hung from each of said hooks is positioned for hanging over a pig area in a farrowing crate.
 4. The structure of claim 3 wherein a downwardly extending apertured ear is provided on said elongated rod and said inverted V-shaped leg structure is pivotally connected to said elongated rod by the apex of said inverted V-shaped leg structure being pivotally received in said apertured ear.
 5. The structure of claim 1 wherein said hook portions is further defined as being a substantially circular rod portion having an open center on the outer end of said elongated rod, and an upstanding finger on the upper portion of said circular portion extends above said circular portion. 